Equestrian Wedding Photos
Apollo Fields | Best Wedding Photos | Equestrian Wedding Photographers | New York Wedding Photographers | Upstate New York Wedding Photographers | John jay HOmestead | Katonah, NY
Helen + Sam’s Wedding
The first wedding of a triple-header weekend feels like the first lap around the track when running a mile. Your pace is good, energy is high, and you think to yourself, “I got this, this is going to be easy!” Lucky for us, Helen and Sam’s equestrian wedding at John Jay Homestead was the perfect mix of their fun personalities to get our weekend off on the right foot!
John Jay Homestead Wedding Photos
The best part about having a wedding on a blank canvas historical site like John Jay’s Homestead in Katonah, NY, is how customizable it is. Yes, you have to do the legwork to bring everything in, but the result is a wedding that reflects the most important aspects of a couples relationship. Take Sam and Helen’s wedding for example: they held their ceremony behind one of the many picturesque, historical buildings, and branded a cowhide rug at the ceremony’s conclusion. From there, their guests moved onto cocktail hour in the garden while the staff put the finishing touches on their reception space under a pristine white tent. Helen and Sam decided to bring in food trucks rather than a catering company, and had a mechanical bull (!!), and a bunch of other carnival games scattered about the grass. You won’t see these details at your local country club.
Equestrian Wedding Photographer
We knew going into Helen and Sam’s wedding that wedding photos with their horses were at the top of their priority list. Right after the ceremony, their horses, Pacman and Pepper, arrived to the property, and we found a great shaded spot for them to stay cool while we corralled them. Taking photos of horses can feel like trying to take photos of 2,000 pound children who can’t be bothered to look at the camera, but Pacman and Pepper did a great job! Helen even jumped on Pacman bareback—the kind of no-frills bride we absolutely LOVE to work with! Do what YOU WANT TO DO on your special day!
Personalized Wedding Details
Whether it’s something blue, a pair of cufflinks, a watch, belt buckle, tie clip, or cowboy hat—make sure you grab a little something for yourself to show off on your wedding. Heather and I had “bad cop” and “good cop” stitched into our respective wedding garments for our celebration. We always joked that when we had a kid that these would be our roles. As for Helen and Sam, they trekked down to Fort Worth, Texas, to get some American-made, custom cowboy hats for their wedding day. They both dazzled in them and wore them like badges of honor. No faux cowboys or cowgirls here, just a couple horse lovers through-and-through.
Golden Hour Photos
We finished Helen and Sam’s wedding day with some absolutely stunning golden hour photos! They strolled the grounds, already reflective and ecstatic with how their wedding day went, and shared a few beautiful moments before we headed home.
vendors
Photography | Apollo Fields
Venue | John Jay Homestead | Katonah, NY
Tent | Cartwright and Daughter’s
Bar | Bar-a-Cudas
Food Trucks | Brooklyn Boys @southbrooklynboyspizza | Three Little Pigs | Taco Loco | Waffle Cabin
DJ | Lakeside Productions
Floral | Maple Field Floral
Planner | LCR Events
Concessions | Conrad’s Concessions
Carnival Games | Just 4 Fun Entertainment | Ovation Events
Hair/Makeup | Beautify by Celeste
Transportation | Red Oak Transportation
Howdy, friends!
We had such a blast with Sam and Helen! Reach out today for your own photography.
Huie, Party of Four!
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It’s official!
Heather is pregnant with our second child due November 2022!
The baby and Capa will be just under two years apart. We are so happy to have them so close in age!
It makes me think of all the times that my little brother, Matt, and I spent playing whiffle ball in the backyard.
The nights we spent laying awake in our beds, chatting about nothing, while playing Pokemon on our Gameboys after lights out. There is such a special bond between siblings, one that I’ve grown to embrace with each of my other four over the last few years. The bond has something to do with similar circumstances on how we were raised: we went to the same schools, knew the same families, ate the same meals, and followed the same rules. Despite becoming very different people in our adult lives, we had the same base line of who we were when we were kids. So when I think of the relationship that Capa will have with his little sibling–I can’t help but get very, very excited.
At the same time I can’t shake the most likely common feeling of a parent expecting their second child–how am I going to love you as much as I love the first?
There is such a romantic unknown to doing anything for the first time–and that’s especially true when raising your first child in those first 12-18 months. For me the emotion came in little moments like in the middle of the night, when I was beyond exhausted, and attempting to rock Capa back to sleep. I’d look down at his wrinkly, pudgy face, eyes closing and opening in gentle flutters, when a realization of amazement would wash over me. You are my son. Your mother and I brought you into this world. And the fatigue would give way to a deep, deep appreciation.
And of course I will have that for our second child; but my experience as a middle child who got lost in the mix has me on high alert.
All the times I wished my dad was outside with me, helping me with my jump shot in those last minutes of daylight. Or when I was left to fend for myself when it came to self-confidence, dating, and getting started on a career track. I’ve learned to appreciate that there is an intrinsic value to finding your own way, but I want to make sure that I love and care for Capa’s little sibling as much as I care for him.
This announcement is as much a celebration as it is a reminder to hold myself accountable. To give the love and care that I shower Capa with, the love and care that I wish I had, to the eventual 4th member of our family.
I love you already, bud.
– Terrence
Coastal Wedding at Water's Edge in Centerport, NY
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Erin + Gavin’s Wedding
Wedding season 2022 is upon us and it feels gooooood! Heather, Capa, and I spent most of our “off-season” traveling: a couple of work trips to Florida, and a few leisure trips to Mexico City, Aruba, and Vermont. Everything and everywhere seems to feel fuller, more enriching with Capa growing by our sides. The bigger he gets the more he engages, and the more I want to throw him on my shoulders and show him the world.
Water’s Edge Wedding Photos
The venue formerly known as Thatched Cottage on 25A in Centerport has gotten a fancy new facelift and it is stunning. Clean, marble surfaces, pristine white walls and columns, and a beautiful expansive patio out on the water. The decor is modern and inviting, well lit, and flattering. We were so excited to work in the space and Gavin and Erin’s wedding did not disappoint!
Oyster Bay Engagement Photography
We began the day at Gavin and Erin’s gorgeous home in Oyster Bay, where the girls were getting ready while the guys relaxed at the Marriot hotel in Melville. As a photographer, there are a few things you come to expect when you walk in the door: clouds of hairspray, half-drunken mimosas, curling irons, makeup kits, and empty water bottles, and a bride slightly on edge. Everything is finally coming together and the reality of their wedding day is beginning to set in. We like to plan to arrive 30 minutes before the bride gets in her dress, and Gavin and Erin’s home checked all of the boxes except that Erin was as calm as a breeze passing over Oyster Bay.
Wedding Vibes Come From the Top Down
You can pretty much tell how a wedding day is going to go when you see a couple engage with each other after their “first look.” Up until then, the jitters of marrying your partner play in your mind like those nostalgic butterflies on the playground—except they feel a lot larger. Before Gavin even turned around to see Erin he turned to me and said, “I know I’m gonna cry,” and that’s all you really need to know about their relationship. They have a kind tenderness to the way they look at each other; and we knew that when we did their engagement session a few months earlier.
Bridal Parties Amplify the Vibe
A proper bridal party knows their couple inside and out, tends to their wants and needs, and parties their faces off. Whether that means packing the dance floor, carrying the bride’s train, or pouring her a baby shot of vodka to curb the jitters, a bridal party knows what to do. That couldn’t have been more true for both sides of Gavin and Erin’s bridal parties, who gave support and care when their best friends needed it, and were the first ones to lift them off the ground when they asked for that too. They were a photographer’s dream: photogenic, packed with energy, and followed direction to a tee. Bravo to the couple for picking solid crews to surround them!
Rain Happens, But Don’t Let it Cloud Your Wedding Day
The more perfect you expect your wedding to be the more upset you will be when things out of your control happen. I’m not saying don’t get excited, I’m saying be prepared to embrace contingency plans. On an otherwise gorgeous day, Gavin and Erin had to shift their ceremony location change at the last minute due to rain in the area, but they didn’t let it get them down. The strength of their relationship and their connection to each other permeated the stress of the situation and they still had a beautiful ceremony thanks to the fast-moving team at Water’s Edge. Love is a top-down thing on your wedding day, and that is even more true for the rest of your life!
vendors
Photography | Apollo Fields
Venue | Water’s Edge | Centerport, NY
Band | Silver Arrow Band
Cake | Dortoni Bakery
Floral | Verbena Designs
Rings | Catbird | Brooklyn, NY
Dress | BHLDN
Suit | Men’s Wearhouse
Invitations | Minted / The Printery (Oyster Bay, NY)
Transportation | Mark of Elegance
Chart House Wedding Photography in NJ
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Lily + Dan’s Wedding
Being invited to photograph any wedding is a privilege. But being invited to photograph the wedding of my childhood bestie is an extra special privilege and one that isn’t lost on me.
Lily and I met in pre-school and were fast friends, despite the fact that she came home from school to tell her mom about her new buddy “Feather” and promptly decided that I must be the spawn of hippie parents. (Little did they know, my dad wanted to name me Pinecone, so the assumptions weren’t that far off).
But as we grew closer, so did our parents, and for the next decade we had lived within walking distance of each other so there were endless playdates, hiking adventures, sleep overs, and I even managed to coerce Lily and her sister onto a horse one or two times. We went to the same schools and rode the same bus all the way up until 9th grade when I left for boarding school, but despite the distance, still managed to maintain our friendship as we formally grew up, went to college, began our careers, and eventually “settled down”.
“Settled down” is a term I mostly loathe, so please don’t take it too seriously. There is an inherent resignation in the phrase, which is precisely the opposite of how I feel at this point in my life. But it does sort of blow my mind to think that we are at the age where we can be getting married and having babies and it’s not scandalous.
When Lily and Dan first began dating, I was living in the UWS of the city at the time. And I remember joining them at the tail end of one of their early dates in midtown actually, but my fatal flaw was that it was during my "sober week” that I do the first week of each new year. We had a great time, but I do remember the bartender getting a little sassy with me for just ordering an iced tea late night at a bar….
Over the years though, their relationship grew and grew so I was both delighted and unsurprised when they got engaged! Getting the opportunity to photograph their wedding meant so much to me, as I was able to be so hands-on with both of them on one of the biggest days of their lives! And I’d be lying if I said I didn’t tear up at least a few times during their big day.
Target Rock Beach Engagement Photography
Target Rock Beach Engagement Photography
Caity & Mike
Santa's Christmas Tree Farm Engagement Photos
Santa's Christmas Tree Farm Engagement Photos | Greenport NY | December Engagement Sessions | Apollo Fields Wedding Photographers
Bianca & Sal
Long Beach Engagement Photography
Long Beach Engagement Photography | Long Island Engagement Photos | Apollo Fields Wedding Photographers
Justyna & Steve
White Trail Farm Wedding in Jupiter Florida
Apollo Fields | Florida Wedding Photographers | Best Wedding Photos | White Trail Farm Wedding | Jupiter Wedding Photography
Sami + Justin
I’m sorry Florida, I think I owe you an apology. I’ve been trashing you in my head for my entire life, thinking that all you had to offer was alligators, humidity, and the “Florida man” archetype. I’ve now seen parts of Fort Lauderdale, Lake Worth, West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Jupiter, and Wellington and can safely say I’m officially a snowbird. Spending almost two weeks of winter in your warm sunshine has softened my ashy, dried skin back to a springtime shine.
White Trail Farm Wedding Photography
We first met Sami and Justin in Brooklyn for their engagement photos in November in Williamsburg. We kept it quick and casual because engagement sessions are more about getting to know each other than shooting really heavy. We knew that Sami and Justin’s wedding was going to be a blast when we stopped off at Talea Beer Co. and grabbed a pie at Best Pizza before heading back to Northport. So when we pulled up to White Trail Farm in Jupiter, Florida, this past week we knew the kind of celebration it was going to be!
White Trail Farm is a sprawling green pasture that features: a tranquil pond, animal sanctuary, a stunning variety of flowers, a Spanish-style villa, and customizable indoor and outdoor barn space. We navigated the property with a golf cart and could not get enough of every inch of this place. The wedding planner, Rachel, and her team turned this property into a dreamlike place to celebrate Sami and Justin’s wedding.
A Literal Golden Hour
When Heather and I typically talk about golden hour we expect the light to last 10-15 minutes max, depending on cloud conditions, time of year, and horizon lines. We expect to work fast and efficiently, changing our settings on the fly. So when we pulled Sami and Justin for a few golden hour photos we expected our typical 10-15 minute interval and were pleasantly surprised that it lasted almost a full hour! This is most likely because we are used to shooting in mountains or in locations more north of the equator than Florida. I guess we'll just Have to shoot more weddings in Florida in the winter!
Calling All Snowbirds
Do you live in the northeast but want to get married in Florida or another state in the south? Do you want to have the same photographer for your engagement photos as your wedding but are not sure where to look? Well Heather and I are officially snowbirds and would love to cover both of your events in both locations. We are open to waiving travel fees for couples who want consistency in their photography and service, and do not want to hassle with tracking down multiple photographers. So let us do your fall engagement photos in the Hudson Valley or atop a snowy mountain before we all head down south to celebrate your wedding in the warm sunshine!
vendors
Photography Apollo Fields
Planner: Rachel Leigh Events
Venue: White Trail Farm | Jupiter, Florida
HMUA: Majestic Hair & Gem Makeup Artistry and Hair
Rabbi: Marc Labowitz
Catering: Bill Hansen Catering
Florals: Anthology
Rentals: Atlas, MI VINTAGE, Events on the Loose
Band / Musicians: Tropics Entertainment
Lighting: W Event Design
Loving the FL winter wedding vibe!
We had a blast with Sami and Justin! Reach out for your own photography needs.
Horsetooth Reservoir Engagement Session in Fort Collins
Horsetooth Reservoir Engagement Session in Fort Collins
Northport Long Island Wedding Photographers
Apollo Fields | New York Wedding Photographer | Best Wedding Photos | Outdoor Wedding Photography | Long Island Wedding | Photographers Near Me | | Northport Wedding | Huntington Wedding Photographers
Ashley & Andrew’s Wedding
Vendors
Photography | Apollo Fields
Reception | Huntington Crescent Club
Ceremony | Private Residence
Long Island Winter Wedding at One10 Restaurant
Apollo Fields | Best Wedding Photos | New York Wedding Photographer | Long Island Wedding Photographer | One10 Wedding Photographer
Amanda + Bill
Looking for a Unique venue? Have Your Wedding at a Restaurant!
Amanda and Bill decided to have their wedding at One10 Restaurant on Long Island because they felt it represented who they are more than a venue could. Consider their amazing wedding a reminder that you can do whatever you want at your wedding! One10 serves up a delicious mix of elevated rustic Italian and classic steakhouse. The expansive, clean space is anchored by a huge white granite bar and has a door that separates the space for private events. The flow of the day was seamless and the windows at the back of the restaurant allowed plenty of natural light to pour in for stunning photos!
Personalize Your Wedding Details
Amanda has a ton of experience in the wedding industry as a florist so right off the bat she knew what she wanted. She loved the details of One10: the floral wall with neon sign that read “the dolce vita,” the modern stylish decor, customizable space and the unbeatable food. Amanda added her own personal touches in the place cards with fun games and obviously stunning florals. Little details can go a long way into helping your wedding feel more intimate—the work might be tedious or laborious but it is always worth it!
Have a Winter Wedding
Winter weddings come with low temperatures and early sunsets but don’t let those things deter you from planning a winter wedding! The winter months also allow for more flexibility, different attire like fur shawls, and the chance of getting some amazing photos in the snow. Amanda and Bill got a chilly day but still braved the cold for their first look photos outside, and even finished the day with a few shots on the back patio. It’s up to you to determine what is most important at your wedding, so if one of those things isn’t spring or summer weather, take a look at hosting your wedding in the colder months.
Long Island Wedding Photography
From Montauk to the city, Heather and I travel all throughout Long Island to document weddings. We personally love doing weddings like Amanda and Bill’s that clearly have been well-planned and executed with a personal touch. Amanda and Bill are some of the nicest people you’ll ever meet and their wedding reflected their personalities through-and-through. We wish them the best of luck and can’t wait to meet up to grab a slice or bagel in the coming years!
VENDOR TEAM:
Photography: Apollo Fields
Ceremony & Reception Venue: One10 Restaurant
Party Planner / Day-Of Coordinator: Audra Jones- The Day Of Company
Videographer : White Tie Video
Florist: Flowers by Manny
DJ / Band : High Voltage Entertainment
Cake / Bakery : CaseyCakes
Rings : The Karat Shop
Hair and Makeup: Sue Natale + Mel Polito
Transportation / Limo: Cruise Control Limousine
The whole squad!
It’s us with the dream team of vendors + Amanda and Bill!
Wedding Details To Have Ready For Your Photographers When They Arrive
Detail Photos for Wedding photography | Flat Lay Photography List | NYC Wedding Photography | Wedding Dress Invitation Suit Shoe Photographs
Wedding Details To Have Ready
For Your Photographers When They Arrive
As your wedding day approaches, we love to send over some helpful tips for ensuring that the morning goes as smoothly as possible and we maximize our coverage for the best possible images! We love to begin our day with detail photos to tell the best story of your day. We have found that it is super useful to organize these ahead of time that way we can hit the ground running without any unnecessary tracking down of items.
Bride / Feminine Details:
Wedding Dress
All stuffing removed + hanger straps cut out
A nice hanger
Veil
>> Check with your seamstress about de-wrinkling (not all materials can be steamed)
Shoes
Rings
BOTH of your bands + engagement rings
Have rings cleaned beforehand, especially diamonds
A nice ring box if possible
Invitation Suite: All paper goods including-
Your formal invitations, envelopes, RSVP cards
Save the dates
Any calligraphy items such as menus, table cards, etc
Bonus points for miscellaneous details like wax seals, fancy stamps, etc
FLORAL SCRAPS
This is an important one to elevate your photos, please inquire with your florist for scraps (broken flowers, greenery, etc) that we can use to style your images.
Unfortunately, we do need these AT OUR START TIME, so sometimes timing can be tricky. It might be easier to pick up a bouquet of similar flowers from a store or special order a few flowers that we can use for these photos.
JEWELRY / MISC
Your earrings, necklaces, bracelets, or any piece that holds sentimental value or your will be wearing.
Hair pins, “something borrowed”, all of these make for great photos!
Perfume bottles
Vow books
Groom / Masculine Details:
SUIT: Please have your suit ready, all tags off, cut out stitches that close vents, all wrinkles out
CUFF LINKS
WATCHES / JEWELRY: If your watch has the date, please ensure that it’s set to the correct day
TIES / BOW TIES: Hey guys, if you’re doing a bow tie, make sure YOU KNOW HOW TO TIE IT. Right? Watch the YouTube videos, practice at home. Same goes for pocket squares. Know how to do yours and help your buddy. You wouldn’t believe how much time is lost!
VOW BOOKS / LETTERS TO EACH OTHER
Miscellaneous Details
To maximize your photography coverage, it’s super helpful to have getting ready spaces tidied up. Especially when we work with bigger wedding parties, we’re often spending a lot of time shuffling clutter and bags and trash out of the spaces. (This is a perfect task for someone in the wedding party to do, by the way). Cleaner spaces = cleaner images ;)
Make sure you guys know where your marriage license is! We’ve seen a lot of time lost on the way to the ceremony if no one can find it.
Natural light is our best friend, so bonus points if we arrive with curtains and blinds drawn!
Please have your details organized in one spot that way we’re not having to track everything down! And when in doubt, include a detail. Things like welcome bags and other parts of the wedding weekend are great additions to your final gallery!
For a printable version of this checklist:
Waterloo Village Wedding Photos in New Jersey
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Alyssa + Travis
The “off-season” hasn’t quite felt like the off-season to Heather and I. We did New Years in Nashville, a winter wedding in January, a family vacation to Aruba, a ski trip to Vermont, and Alyssa and Travis’ wedding at Waterloo Village in Stanhope, NJ. I guess I didn’t quite realize how much travel has been a part of our relationship until Heather gifted me photo albums this Christmas, one for every year we’ve been together. After looking at everywhere we’ve been, it only makes sense that we would explore during our “off-season.”
Colorado Buddies
Alyssa and Travis live in our former home, Colorado, and we still long for adventures in the mountains. They decided to have their wedding at the Waterloo Village in Stanhope New Jersey because it reminded them of the charm of the Rockies in a location closer to their relatives. Alyssa and Travis are mountaineers through-and-through; as Alyssa has conquered more 14ers than she has fingers, and Travis finds any excuse to ascend or descend inclines no matter the season. In fact, just a couple short weeks before their wedding, Travis broke his back rock climbing! I don’t know how, but he still made it out to the dance floor!
Mosh Pit
Okay–so we like to think that we’ve seen it all–but a mosh pit at a wedding was a first. Granted, it was subdued and quickly dispersed for the sake of everyone’s wellbeing, but to see Travis (!!), Alyssa, and her dad out there jumping around to My Own Worst Enemy by Lit, I couldn’t help but get hyped. Especially since it was the first and only song I’ve ever crowd-surfed to! The chilly day did nothing to stop this party from rocking on and you better believe we got right in the middle of it!
Waterloo Village Wedding Photos
From the huge stone fireplaces to the cute decor and sprawling grounds, this venue left us want for nothing. The entire property runs along Musconetcong River with old Victorian buildings which were perfect for romantic photos. The staff was kind enough to shuttle us from one historic building to the next, snapping different looks in a matter of minutes. The riverfront and waterfall also add a more natural setting for the outdoorsy couple like Alyssa and Travis!
Couples with Two Places they call Home
Alyssa and Travis weren’t the first Colorado/Northeast couple we’ve photographed and they won’t be the last! We love having our home states overlap with our couples because it means that our values overlap too. We love the solitude and natural beauty of the mountains but also enjoy the luxuries that cities have to offer. We also just wrapped our second Florida wedding of this “off-season” and are beginning to think that these snowbirds might be flying south for at least part of every winter. If you live in the northeast and want photos up here but are getting married somewhere else, please reach out! We obviously love to travel!
Vendors
Photography | Apollo Fields
Venue | Waterloo Village | Stanhope, NJ
Videography | Eyeris Films
Floral | Flower Cart Florist
DJ | 3 West Productions
Dress | D’Annelli Bridal | Lakewood, CO | Stella York
Suits | Men’s Wearhouse
Hair and Makeup | D’Jais Salon | Tom’s River, NJ
Rings | ShaneCo
News Years Eve Wedding in Nashville at the Union Station Hotel
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Mike + Robyn
We Say Goodbye to 2021 with…country music?!
I’ve never liked country music, but Take Me Home, Country Roads by John Denver BANGS. And I’m not sure which genre you place Johnny Cash or John Prine in, but they’re good in my book, too. For the last wedding of the year Heather and I found ourselves in Nashville, Tennessee, on New Years Eve for my friend Mike's (henceforth known as Skeats) wedding. Skeats met Robyn in Nashville shortly after he moved down from New York several years ago, and everytime I’ve met up with them I’ve known that they found great partners in each other. Robyn loves country music and Skeats is coming around.
Traveling During Omicron: Making Things Happen
Unfortunately for Skeats and Robyn, the surge in Covid cases due to the Omicron variant threw a last minute monkey wrench into their plans. They pressed forward and still held the best New Year’s Eve party and wedding that I’ve ever been to! We all took the proper precautions to the best of our ability and knew the risks involved. So much has been made of Covid over the last two+ years that it’s hard to separate opinions from politics, but in Heather and I’s experience, just add this to the list of events that we were grateful to be a part of. Even in pre-pandemic times, there were always a million reasons to not do something, or be somewhere. We were totally stretched to our limits the past two years and time-and-time again the choice to just make things happen and show up put smiles on all of our faces.
Union Station Nashville Yards Wedding Photos
Holy beautiful, Batman. The clean large tile floors, plush leather furniture, vaulted ceilings, and massive crystal chandeliers. The tall christmas tree at the center of the lobby with woodcraft classic board games set up at every table gave this luxuriously welcoming space a homemade vibe. Skeats and Robyn’s ceremony was held at one end of the looming hall, right in front of a stone fireplace with a clean mantle. Robyn particularly loved descending the original wooden stairs of the building, holding onto a handcrafted handrail that has stood the test of time. It’s crazy how time can change a space from a place full of commuters to a venue to celebrate the commencement of love.
Broadway Doesn’t Disappoint
If you like to party and haven’t been to Nashville–get there. The main strip of Broadway is lined with live music bars with wide open windows, so every 15 feet you walk you hear a new tune. We didn’t get to get as crazy as a younger me would’ve liked, but we did stroll Capa down the block and watch as he marveled at every sparkling, blinking, banging, iota of stimuli. Heather went to the Country Music Hall of Fame with her aunt, Pam, then, the next day, Heather and I went to the Johnny Cash Museum. I didn’t know that Johnny Cash grew up listening to his 2nd wife, June Carter, on the radio. I also didn’t know that she was the one who wrote the song, Ring of Fire.
2022 and Beyond
Heather and I had one more wedding this past weekend on Long Island; and with that, our wedding season finally comes to an end. From here we plan on catching up on studio work, taking a vacation or two, and continue booking all the way through 2023! We are going to Aruba and Mexico City so please share with us any recommendations you might have! To a happy and healthy 2022, make sure you make the effort to make things happen.
Photography: Apollo Fields
Venue: Union Station Hotel
Day-Of Coordinator + Florist: Olive & Birch
HMUA: The Agency of Beauty
Band: For a Good Time Call
Cake: Nashville Sweets
Ringing In The New Year
It’s going to be hard to top this NYE for us! Nashville brought all the energy and good vibes.
Our Baby Registry Must Haves (Spoiler Alert: You Won't Find Any Onesies Here)
Our Baby Registry Must Haves (Spoiler Alert: You Won't Find Any Onesies Here) | Apollo Fields Wedding Photographers | No-Nonsense Baby Essentials
My BABY REGISTRY advice / tips / tricks / personal choices that worked for us:
-> Just going to come out of the gates saying that everyone is different here and there’s no universally right way to do these things. This is just what worked for us and what I’ve picked up along the way…
My #1 takeaway when people send me their registries they are working on (this happens all the time actually) is too much CUTESY BABY CRAP and not enough ESSENTIALS FOR THE BIRTHING PERSON.
If your friends and family aren’t willing to buy you titty cream because they think it’s weird and they would rather just send you a ton of brand new onesies you might get one run out of, well, they need to do better. Birth is beautiful but it’s also messy and mamas need real support, not just materialistic stuff.
For Real Support:
- Childbirth Education
- Doulas
- Fourth Trimester Support
- Photographers
- Midwives
- Chiro, massage
For Birth and Postpartum
Okay mamas / birthing persons / support persons: PUT SOME STUFF ON YOUR REGISTRY FOR YOU. It’s not selfish, it’s essential. A nice robe, slippers, something that will make you feel luxurious when you feel like a leaking tired cow otherwise.
Frida Mom Postpartum is my actual MUST HAVE item. Trust me, your vag will thank you. Get this kit for anyone you know who is expecting a baby and you’ll be the real MVP.
Staying hydrated is super important, as is maintaining your electrolytes. So I used the coconut water powder quite a bit. The Manuka honey can also be a good food source in labor, and doubles as a good topical option for tears. Postpartum bath salts also come in clutch… trust me.
The SMEG Espresso Machine is the real pro-move, y’all. You’re freaking tired with a baby, might as well drink good coffee.
Breast/Chest-feeding (if that’s your thing) + Bottles
Breastfeeding was (lol, is, because no end in sight here) such a great option for Capa and I. And we were lucky to have a pretty easy go at it from the beginning, but it does not always come naturally to babies or mamas. Here’s my official plug for getting a certified lactation support person before it gets overwhelming. Do tons of skin to skin. Probably disregard most of the weird schedules that a lot of hospitals push… newborns do best (again, in my non-expert opinion) with on demand feeding.
For supplements to help with milk supply, I’ve done the chews, the teas, a fenugreek supplement thing, and brewers yeast. My supply has always been fine so I haven’t really needed too much but I figure it can’t hurt.
Anyway, as a full time working mama, pumping saved our BFing journey and I couldn’t have done it without being hands free with the Willow. Don’t get me wrong I have a love/hate relationship with these things, but they were worth every freaking penny. Go with the Elvie, if you prefer. They’re basically the same. And you know what, I got mine on marketplace from someone who didn’t end up breastfeeding. For like half the price and no shame.
I just use the generic breastmilk bags and not the willow ones, too. Saves a ton of money and isn’t much more difficult.
The manual pump is honestly so easy if I just need to pump a little and don’t have time to do the full willow set up / clean up / dump situation. No frills, no nonsense… Super cheap, no learning curve, I still use this thing at least a few times a week.
We introduced bottles around three or four weeks and Capa took right to them. And we only ever owned like three of them. No need for a big huge stash here… It can be more simple than it seems.
The pumping backpack cooler is great because it’s pretty discreet (I could have it out with my camera equipment and not get any looks), but it helped to keep all that milk cold for the long hours I’d be on the road!
Baby Wearing
I could baby wear all f—ing day long. I love it and honestly couldn’t imagine getting through the first year without having Capa strapped to our chests and backs.
The NuRoo Shirt was one of my absolute faves and I miss that stage now. A kangaroo shirt designed for skin to skin which has soooo many benefits but is also just the best.
Infantino Convertible Carrier: is honestly so cheap and kind of great. We started using it more when Capa got bigger and can wear him facing in, facing out, or as a backpack.
I absolutely love the Ergo Baby Wrap and a lot of caretakers are intimidated by how to tie it but honestly it’s not that hard to learn and so comfy. This this was a total lifesaver. Personally, wasn’t a fan of the k’tan because I found it too tight on my boobs but I know a lot of people who love it.
Diapering
Okay, so we decided to hybrid diaper (cloth at home and disposables on the road). There are ups and downs to each approach but I’m pretty happy with the combo for us. We definitely saved some $$ with reusables, hopefully did some good for the landfills, and I’ll admit it was nice to never worry about running out of diapers (except when we were on the road).
Anyway, Costco for disposables– no shame– they are so much cheaper. And “All In Ones” or “AOIs” for cloth.
Stroller / Car Seat
There’s a million to choose from and everyone is going to have an opinion here. I’d recommend going to a store (we did BuyBuy Baby) and try them out in person to see what clicks. Terrence really wanted a jogger to go running with Capa in, so that feature has been nice. But the drawbacks of the model we got are (1) it’s huge and pretty cumbersome (2) the front wheel gets wonky. But the carseat safety was a priority to us, so Graco it was. Our runner up was the Mockingbird, which I’ve heard nothing but great things about, too.
Eating
We introduced solids around 6 months and did a relaxed version of Baby Led Weaning. What I’ve gathered for high chairs is that it is important that they can rest their legs on the base. And for self-feeding, just be prepared for mess and go with it. That’s how they learn and explore foods.
The portable high chair is pretty great for our lifestyles, as is some other little trays and snackers. We also recently introduced the EZPZ Cup in addition to regular sippy cups which is mostly successful.
Sleep (or lacktherof lol):
Capa is a shit sleeper and we’re shit at enforcing any sort of bedtime routine. So take this one with a grain of salt…
The sleep sacks have been helpful as he’s more mobile because they signify bed time, restrict some of the ease of his walking around, the little weighted bean thing is supposed to be calming. Idk. You can find a lot of differing info out there and some people don’t suggest the weighted function. Suit yourself.
Moses Basket Bassinet: We used this way longer than I thought we would, actually. Kept it right next to my side of the bed and the dockatot fit right in it. Again, not technically safe sleep so I’m not endorsing anything officially. It’s just what worked for us.
The white noise machine (which is going while I type this) has been helpful. Sometimes I think it’s more for me because I wake at the slightest grunt baby makes at night, but we also don’t keep a quiet house and welcome noisy sleep environments.
The pack n play is one of those staple items, but Capa has legit always hated being in it. When it’s full of toys he will occasionally spend 5-10 min in there but he won’t sleep in it. We’ve tried… maybe not as hard as we could have, but hey.
Dockatot: Another controversial item (what sleep item isn’t, though?) because it’s not technically safe sleep. It’s low key designed to be a co-sleeper but they can’t market it that way, but listen, Capa slept AMAZINGLY in this thing and I 100% swear by it.
Capa never liked to be fully swaddled, even from day one, and would manage to squirm one or both arms out. We did use the Ollie Swaddle and had some success with it. It’s super easy to use so I would recommend it, for sure. Get yourself a good stack of muslin cloths going too, for burps and beyond. But I would say to wait to see how your kiddo likes being bundled up before getting a whole bunch of different swaddles and stuff.
Misc Items:
If you’re going to be around open water / boats, a life jacket is a must. We don’t use it for “fun swim” and will avoid floaties and puddle jumpers, but living on Long Island, we are on boats quite often and this one is non-negotiable. Make sure the fit is good and don’t take it off, even for a moment if you’re on a boat. Duh.
The vitamin D is a supplement that we did, especially in the first six months, since breastmilk does not contain any of this vitamin. I believe formula does, but always check with your doctor first!
We’re super hesitant to use things like acetominophen, but when the baby is truly in pain we will give him some. Particularly for flights, where we always give him the minimum amount 30 min before takeoff for ear pressure.
Magnetic cabinet locks, because all the other ones suck in my opinion. We try not to go too hard on baby proofing, but things like the liquor cabinet and cleaning cabinets are locked up. I’d also recommend those outlet plug things, especially if your baby likes to live on the edge like ours.
We love the drawer dividers for baby’s dresser and can’t imagine trying to organize without them. Onesies are freaking tiny, and we just roll everything up and keep them in sight like that.
And the touch free thermometer is also great, because idk about you but I’d rather not stick one up his butthole to find out if he is running a fever…
Baby nail grinder / file thing has honestly been a lifesaver. Clipping their nails with scissors or clippers is terrifying to me. Their nails are so small. They are attached to the freaking skin. Babies wiggle and squirm and the whole thing has been so much easier with this grinder thing.
The noise canceling headphones got us through many weddings and even a red rocks concert. Benefit is they obviously protect sensitive ears. Downside is babies love to take them off…
These little chamomile teething tablets are one of the only “remedy” things we use for teething. I’m not even sure if they work, but Capa loves them and the ingredients are pretty harmless IMO.
The Otteroo was one of our favorite things to do with Capa until he started teething. The mini was perfect for him because it gave him some body autonomy / movement freedom and I think really helped him fall in love with bath time. Once he started really teething he figured out how to hook his mouth underneath the neck ring which sort of put an end to it, but it was AMAZING until then.
Stuff that I personally did not end up really needing:
Nursing pads: I used them a bit in the first few weeks when my supply was still regulating, but never needed since. I did buy the nice bamboo ones, but they just sit in a drawer now and never get used. Some women end up needing them much longer, so I think this is on a case by case basis.
The boppy pillow: Okay some people swear by these so I don’t want to yuck your yum… but it was pretty useless for us. Shape and size wasn’t optimal for breastfeeding, and Capa didn’t really like it for tummy time. Sits in the closet.
Hakka breast pump: Another one that is a popular “must have” for people, but I hated how it felt. Suction was awkward and not super productive for me. I know they make a catcher for strictly let down that I might have gone for if I was doing it again.
Baby Brezza Sterilizer: We used it, but I wouldn’t call it a "must have” by any stretch of the imagination. Like was it nice to not have to boil bottles? Sure. But it still took a long time and always sort of rusted at the bottom and stuff. Sits in our basement…
Nursing Cover: Lololol I’ve literally never used this. No shame if covering up is your thing it just seems so cumbersome and not at all my jam. Capa would hate it. I’d hate it. I’m team ‘whip-em-out’ but again, that’s just me. I think you can use this thing as a carseat cover too… who knows.
Things We Never Bought And Don’t Miss:
A Crib: This one might surprise you, but we don’t have a crib. We have the pack n play and that still barely gets touched. Capa recently transitioned into a Montessori style toddler bed on the floor, and I think that’s going to be the one that sticks.
The Snoo: Get at me… but $1600 was more than we were willing to shell out. And the rental didn’t really add up, either. I know people who say they couldn’t have lived without it, but we did and lived to tell the tale.
A baby monitor: We legit don’t have a monitor, at all. Capa’s always near us and we’ve really enjoyed using our intuition instead of apps to keep him under our watch.
The Owlet: Another one that we decided to use more intuition / less apps for. I honestly went back and forth over this one, but I’ve read recalls for burns, skepticism over technology on babies, and false alarms for these so I opted not to. Having said that, if Capa was born premature or had certain health concerns, I’d reconsider.
Baby Bath: Capa has never actually been in one of those special baby baths and to us, it just seemed like a waste. We bathed with him when he was a newborn (and still do a lot), and he’s always loved bath time. I honestly preferred skin to skin for newbie baths over putting them in a special tub, but that’s just me.
Hand-Me-Down / MARKETPLACE Stuff That Came Up Clutch:
Clothes. All the clothes!! We didn’t buy a single item of clothing retail for Capa until he was 11 months old. We didn’t put any clothing on our registry because PEOPLE LOVE TO GIVE YOU BABY CLOTHES. Gifts, hand me downs, etc. Trust me, there are plenty of outgrown outfits that we still have with tags on them….
Mamaroo: “The Spaceship” we called this one. We got one hand me down + one as a loaner. Wouldn’t recommend doing a new one and would totally recommend marketplace or a friend if possible.
Swings, bouncers, play mats, etc— there is SO much stuff that you don’t need to buy new. Honestly, the only things I think you HAVE to have new are the carseat, life jacket, and bottles.
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Eight Years Ago Today I Started My Degree At Columbia University
Apollo Fields Wedding Photographers | Long Island Photographer | Columbia University NYC | Destination Weddings | Heather Huie
Eight years ago today I started my degree at Columbia University.
I’d like to say that this was a decision that really launched my career, took my art to a new level, and set me apart from the competition– but I’d be lying. In fact, my shiny advanced ivy level education was remarkably… unremarkable.
Let’s back it up a bit here. The year was 2014 and I was two years out of my bachelors that I had completed at TCNJ. My undergrad experience was one that challenged me, kept me in the library until the lights were turned off, left me in the studio so late sometimes that the only other person in the building would be the security guard as he trailed back and forth through the hallways on his graveyard shifts. There I’d be in an otherwise dark corridor, typing away, illuminated by only the light on my laptop and his flashlight, and without saying a word he would just nod his hat in my direction, or occasionally throw me a peace sign.
Things look a lot different now
My professors had expected a lot out of me, and I happily rose to the occasion.
When I graduated magna cum laude, I felt at once a sense of pride as well as a strange solitude. Even a little disappointment, if we’re being honest… I had spent so much time reaching for perfect GPAs there that I had failed to make time for developing many true friendships. While others were fratting away with their Theta Beta Bimbos, I saw no appeal in rallies and rumbles. I felt, in many ways, that I had gotten all of that buddy buddy brethren out in boarding school, and it was time to focus on my academics. So I did.
Nevertheless, I still felt like I had something more to say (prove?) in the world of academia so two years later I threw an application at Columbia and was delighted to be accepted into their Masters program. I had always lived near the city but never in the city, and was ready to push myself again the way I had at TCNJ. Except more, naturally, because it was a more advanced degree at a more advanced school. Right? Not exactly.
On my first day, one of my professors who was old as dirt laid out a bunch of books on the table before us. She told us to thumb through them, so we did. She then informed us that these were all of her books she authored, and when we had as many publications as she did, then we were allowed to have an opinion in her class. Super, I thought, what a bitch. But of course, she had been tenured for twenty years which in her case meant that she was hungry for nothing more than a paycheck and her position was unflappable.
This was, I would come to find out, part of the problem with these celebritized professors. Either their egos had gotten so large that they were unwilling to engage in any sort of debate or rhetoric with us lowly students, or they had simply grown tired. How long can one teach the same material with believable fortitude? I don’t know. But I do know that all it took was a simple, “May I have an extension please?” to be granted one and absence meant almost nothing in terms of your grade at the end of the semester.
Hell, I decided about ten minutes into a welding class that I was terrified of welding, and flat out did not turn in a metalwork sculpture. It was one out of the three final projects we would be graded on that whole term, and I still received an A-. Trust me, my woodworking skills were not refined enough to carry me to the finish line, and I interpreted that grade as proof that I was paying for my degree, not my education.
So it has been eight years since I embarked on my ivy league journey.
Six since I graduated.
It will probably be another sixty before I’m done paying it off, and if we’re being honest, I’m not sure anyone really cares. My paycheck didn’t automatically inflate itself once my diploma was placed in my hand, and nobody came rushing to my side with job offers. I did, however, receive a bottle of Veuve from the University, which I promptly drank straight from the bottle in my light blue cap and gown walking down Broadway. That part didn’t suck…
I still believe in school and I realize that I have been very, very privileged along the way. Scholarships and fellowships and grants have given me my proverbial wings, just as student loans have given me my proverbial shackles. To that I say fuck you Sally Mae, and all your boomer comrades who told us to stay in school even though they only made it through the twelvth grade. Yeah, I’m looking at you mom and dad, because you might not remember when I was seventeen and you guys enthusiastically pushed student loans at me with the empty promise that I would graduate with a six figure job right on the other side, but I sure do.
I’m not bitter anymore (I mean, don’t ask my therapist) but I would like to end this on a positive note. My undergrad taught me that you can work yourself to death and still miss the mark on perfection – that perfect 4.0 – and you might not even have many friends to show for it in the end. But I had a great education there. I had phenomenal professors who actually gave a rat's ass about our opinions and expanding our minds. My masters taught me that sometimes you have to pay to play, and that when you’re spending $50k a year, you actually can just walk up to your teacher and say you want an extension. But freedom ain’t free, so be prepared to pony up when they come a’knockin’, and they always do.
Fast forward to 2021
Apollo Fields 2021: 54 Weddings and 1 Baby
For the most part, our job as wedding photographers is to blend in, not stand out.
To move throughout the day like inconspicuous flies on the wall, floating through rooms and in and out of moments like a steady breeze through an open window. We take great pride in being given the opportunity to navigate the intimate spaces of wedding days, playing off the principle that stepping on a truly genuine moment is a cardinal sin. Year-in-and-year-out we flutter from venue-to-venue, unpacking and repacking our camera bags as quickly and commonly as the shutter clicks on our cameras. I am writing this blog to give a glimpse of what it is like to document a commencement of love 50 times a year in the span of six or seven months. It is with great love and appreciation that I say—it is our time to stand out.
From Brandon and Lia’s Wedding in September 2021 in Little Compton, Rhode Island.
2021 Still Wasn’t “Normal.”
We try to avoid using the word normal because it’s one of those “non-words” that doesn’t really mean anything. What exactly does it mean for a person or a year to be “normal”? As it pertains to people: the quirkier the better; but as it goes for wedding seasons, we’ll take predictable. Like the idea of a wedding happening on a specified date and location. Of course we have empathized with every couple for the last two years but can you imagine what our Google calendar has looked like? Think Charlie Kelly in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia vibes. Now picture him in a wedding dress.
And yet, it was the best year of my life.
I like to joke that having a kid feels like you’re playing the game of life on hard mode. Every activity of everyday or every trip is just that much harder. Mornings feel earlier and nights feel longer, but in between extended bouts of exhaustion there are pristine moments of overtired bliss. Like the walk Heather and I took at midnight in Montauk after a wedding as we watched the crests of waves hover and crash on the coast over and over again in the bright moonlight. Or when I held Capa just above the surface of the rooftop pool in West Palm Beach, pushing him through the water like the dorsal fin of a dolphin swimming in the Caribbean. For everything that being a parent takes away from you it gives it back in moments of overwhelming joy.
And also the busiest.
Between our 54 weddings in 13 states plus an unspecified amount of family and engagement sessions we changed diapers, spoon-fed, walked, drove, and nursed our baby Capa. The crazy part is that despite all of the time Heather and I spent together we often felt like we never saw each other. We developed a workflow where I would take Capa in the morning and let Heather catch up on sleep after nursing him all night. Then we’d have breakfast together and one of us would take him for the next stretch while the other person works. It was like a game of hot potato if that potato was adorable and could poop and pee. And despite developing the habit popular to babies of rubbing my eyes when I’m tired, I have no regrets about how we handled everything.
Ron and Sunil’s wedding in August 2021 at The Battery on the southern tip of Manhattan.
a reminder to Change over time.
I was just talking to Heather this morning about how I can’t imagine both of us still bartending full-time like we did in our twenties. It’s not that we couldn’t or we shouldn’t but rather that we value the current iteration of Terrence-and-Heather (-and-Capa) over the one at the beginning of our relationship. In a funny way, our 2021 wedding season felt like a full bartending shift spent “in the weeds” where we never got to look up and kept going from one thing to the next. As the years pass I can’t help but notice the trajectory of our lives and how the previous events prepared us for what came next. Who knows what Capa will mean for our future but if this year was any indication of what’s to come, I can’t fucking wait.
NYE 2015 - One of Heather and I’s first photos together. Taken at a diner on the UWS at ~ 5:00am.
Little Compton Rhode Island Wedding
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Brendan & Lia’s Wedding
When Heather first mentioned that we were shooting a wedding in Little Compton my first thoughts were of N.W.A and Kendrick Lamar. I clearly had never heard of the luxurious tight-knit Rhode Island community across the Sakonnet River from Newport. The landscape wasn’t all unlike where I’m from on the north shore of Long Island, but the beautiful properties sprawled along the coast boasted more horses and acreage than any of my town’s similar neighborhoods. Heather, Capa, and I stared in awe out towards the bright horizon as we pulled into our AirBnB the day before Brendan and Lia’s wedding.
Heather and Lia have known each other since riding horses back in their teenage years at the Ethel Walker School. I’ve come to understand that the bond between equestrian riders is pretty deep--it’s a camaraderie like being in the trenches--but instead of being at war with another army, you share war stories about being at war with the army of one between your legs. Danger is omnipresent and your survival is a combination of: skill, communication, keeping your cool, and good old fashioned luck. There’s a reason Heather took up photography.
Lia on the other hand, still trains riders on horseback and she’s apparently damned good at it. She’s so good that when we playfully asked Brendan to compare Lia to any object, animate or inanimate, he replied, “triple crown winning horse that wows the world.” With a healthy combination of playfulness and discipline, Brendan and Lia are one of those couples that like to work hard and play hard. Lia recounted a story on Christmas Eve one year when during a family tradition of “fun family tennis paddle” she rocked a forehand right into Brendan’s face and he wore it like a champ. “When he didn’t drop like a stone--I knew I had a keeper,” she declared.
Heather and I love when other couples are competitive. We are constantly competing in games, but we draw the line when it comes to more important things like raising Capa, business operations, or daily household responsibilities. There’s a sort of unwritten rule when it comes to those things because we both think it’s not a healthy habit to keep score with things that can stress us out. We trust each other to do our best--and we both see each other stretching ourselves thin to make things happen--so we leave competition to the gaming arena. Once we enter, all bets are off.
Heather and I are kind of becoming the unofficial Ethel Walkers wedding photographers. In fact we have a wedding coming up in the chapel on campus. It makes me happy to see Heather connect with old friends and to hear stories of Heather’s equestrian past. I’ve obviously known that Heather’s a tough competitor and fervent worker, but it’s nice to get a behind-the-scenes look on how she became the amazing woman she is today. Especially when one of her old classmates slips in an embarrassing story about her--those are my favorite. The best thing about it is that she usually laughs it off and wears the embarrassment, kind of like a tennis ball to the face six months into a relationship.
Vendors
Photography | Apollo Fields
Wedding Planner | Mary Powers, Meadowlea Events
Band | Radiance | Wilson Stevens
Cake / Bakery | Easy Entertaining
Party Rentals | Exquisite Events Decor
Suit | Peter Millar
Dress | Stella York | VOWS (Watertown, MA)
Rings | MK Bennati Jewelers
Hair/Makeup | Allison Barber Beauty
Stationery/Invitations | Ink Papery | Shayne Wolf
2021 Recap: Our Year in Review "What The Hell Just Happened!?"
Destination Wedding Photographer Based Out Of NY | Husband And Wife Wedding Photographers | Editorial Engagement and Wedding Photography NYC
2021 Recap: Our Year in Review "What The Hell Just Happened!?"
It is 9PM on a Tuesday and I am about six hours into editing a big job. The job is from our second-to-last wedding of the year and I’m only about 30% the way through the gallery when my mind begins to drift and reminisce on all the gigs we had this year: 54 weddings and at least as many other sessions, across thirteen different states. I look up from my monitor and think to myself, what the hell just happened??
What I mean by that is, what the hell was 2021!? What actually just happened??
This was bar none the craziest wedding season that I’ve seen in my seven-ish years of doing this, and that’s not even taking into consideration the fact that we had a tiny and completely dependent baby throughout the whole thing. It was the perfect storm, really– take all the covid rescheduled weddings (for us, approx 35) and then pile them on top of our organic biz, now funnel them down into the finite number of Saturdays in a year, and now hand pluck out all the vendors who peaced out of weddings after 2020, and you have yourself the 2021 wedding season.
Oh, and now add the baby back into the equation.
See our grand plan back in the beginning of 2020 was to go HAM on weddings while I was pregnant and then chillsies for 2021 when we had the baby. You know, take a *few* local weddings and some passion projects here and there, but sort of coast. Enjoy family life. Do newborn stuff, whatever that is.
Of course, the great cosmic joke was on us when the pandemic totally took us out at the knees. We were forced to halt everything, completely freeze, postpone, revise and re-plan everything. Not a single gig was unaffected and although we still managed to pull of 26 weddings in seven different states, I’d be remiss to act as if it wasn’t traumatic on both a personal and professional level. But we survived, and as we both will attest, even thrived in many ways. It was honestly… a great year… which feels like a weird thing to say given the complete dumpster fire that we were dealing with.
So when 2021 rolled around, things started really looking up.
Vaccines were a total game changer for large gatherings– in our case weddings, and you know, our entire livelihoods. We were just SO. DAMN. GRATEFUL. to have weddings actually happen on the dates they were scheduled for and in the locations they were contracted, that we sort of went blind. To say we had a whole new appreciation for the work we do is an understatement. And let’s be honest, it was also a lot easier on my body to work and travel without being hugely preggo lugging around a big belly and swollen feet for 15 hour long days.
But like I said, I think we sort of went blind. Like we were so grateful to be shooting and working and traveling that we didn’t even realize how bizarre the conditions still were.
We shot WAY heavier than ever before, out of complete necessity to our couples who have dealt with so many curveballs over the last two years.
We did weddings on Fridays and Sundays, which was becoming more normal anyway. But then there were Thursday weddings, a few Mondays, I think we even did a Tuesday. Double headers have always been my happy place but this year were triples and I even swung a quad in October. That’s four-in-a-row for those who aren’t in the know.
Capa, our sweet boy, bounced around strapped to our chests for twelve of our weddings and at least twice that amount of engagement and family sessions. God bless’em because he THRIVED on weddings. Thrived. We never imagined toting our kid around for more than one, maybe two, events but here we are now with a slightly quirky reputation as that husband and wife photographer team who worked with their baby in tow.
The pandemic loomed over every wedding this year and still continues to force us to adapt over and over again as we continue to navigate mask mandates, rapid testing, vax cards, and trying to avoid getting sick while also being completely swallowed by mobs of drunk people flailing to “Shout” like it’s the first time anyone has thought to lay down on a public floor in the name of dancing.
Guests went hard this year. For many couples, elopements and microweddings got all that pesky paperwork out of the way last year and so formalities be damned, they were just there to rage their faces off this time. We thought there would be a gentle transition back into cocktail hours and conga lines but pretty much once April hit, the floodgates opened and people were off to the races en masse. I’ll admit, it did make for good content, and I’ve never been one to turn down a sweet party, so I was more than happy to oblige.
In fact, we had some of our best couples of all time this year…
…and it’s truly impossible to narrow down even the top five. I could honestly go through each event and rave about our favorite parts of each wedding and couple, but I’ll try to keep it short and as unbiased as possible… My mind immediately jumps to Jess and Matt– who had an epic three-day celebration on the top of a mountain at Granite Ridge in Maine. We rented a cabin, brought my sister with us to babysit (unknowingly with a black bear hanging outside the house) and partied ALL night long with their sick wedding band. We still talk about their transition into Flashing Lights.
Then there was Mercie and Dan, our sweet friends who made actual magic on their wedding day by appointing their closest kiddo friends and family to take over traditionally adult duties. Their officiants and their MC and wedding party and speeches and everything were executed by munchkins. And you know what, they all CRUSHED it. These little beautiful humans who poured their whole souls into this heartfelt celebration. I can still hear Merc and Dan singing to one another before their ceremony, holding hands and grounding one another, with their voices almost swirling in harmony over the ceramic tiles in the bathroom they were getting ready in. I will admit that I cried a little behind my camera but I won’t ever forget that moment.
But then jump to August when we got to go back to the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone to capture Ross and Michelle’s wedding. A literal dream come true. We were lucky enough to be out there last year for a wedding and vowed to return, which I think is a common thing to do when leaving a destination after a vacation, but getting to be back in those mountains again was another *pinch me* moment. And getting to show Capa one of our favorite places was priceless. I’ll always remember how much fun we were all having blasting music in our rental car, driving through the mountains chasing the light, trying to pierce through the haze and smoke to get the infamous views. And then when we finally found the spot to pull off of as the sun was setting over the plains, Ross and Michelle jumping out to go exchange their vows privately against the mountains made it all worth it.
Then there was Chris and Kristen’s amazing Hamptons wedding which pretty much left us speechless. The whole thing was set up on their family property on the highest point of Montauk with 360 degree views that did not disappoint. There were charcuterie boards that put anything on pinterest to shame. I stuffed my face with oysters. Life was good. But most memorable was their dance party– people went fucking nuts. Over the years we have learned that there is a delicate balance to a good party: a sweet spot for the number of wedding guests, the amount of space that they have to dance, the amount of intoxicants available, the quality of music, energy of the band, and overall cohesiveness to the party. Getting all the ingredients *just so* is a rarity, but when all these conditions are met, fun will be had. And Kristen and Chris certainly had fun.
Speaking of these kinds of nights, Lia and Brendan also top out at our favorite tent set up of all time. Two epic sperry tents, immaculate decor, another freaking gorgeous private residence with views that you can only dream of. And then their golden hour. Stealing a couple for these shots isn’t easy sometimes, but always worth it, and the ten minutes that we pulled these two onto the golf course next door was a dream. Lia was beaming, legitimately smiling from ear to ear. Her dress was off the charts gorgeous. Cotton candy clouds billowed in the sky behind them as they sprinted off the green together. The pictures are epic, but the image in my mind is honestly just as good.
Heather and Chase are our most recent holy-amaze-balls wedding and deserve all the shoutouts for their stunner of a Palm Beach wedding. While our dreams of escaping the cold north in exchange for sunny Florida didn’t happen until the last of our four days there (it POURED rain for most of the weekend, like legitimately dumped on us nonstop), they still managed to have a jaw dropping three days worth of celebrating. It’s hard to argue with chillin’ on the rooftop of the Ben hotel with a cold beer, sweet views, and our giggly pool-loving baby on a work trip.
In fact, many of our work trips look like this on the bookends of our trips. One thing that bringing Capa along with us has really forced me to do is slow down a bit, despite still having our busiest year to date. Slowing down might only be for an hour or two at a time, but sometimes that’s all you really need to cue in and appreciate how cool life can be. We set out to be busy, and none of this was an accident.
So yeah, what the hell happened totally rings true for 2021. Heck, we’re not even done as I write this– we’re about to get on another plane to Nashville to close out our season at a New Years Eve wedding. It’s going to be a banger, and we can’t wait. Midnight on Dec 31 will officially close out our work year, and I honestly wouldn’t have it any other way. Our lives are sort of wild but also beautiful and as I just begin to process what this whole season has meant to us personally and professionally, I can’t help but be left in awe at how full and inspiring it all is.
– xo, Heather
Enjoy some snapshots from this year:
Greenport Long Island Engagement Photography
Greenport Long Island Engagement Photography | Apollo Fields Wedding Photographers | 67 Steps Beach NY
Gina & Peter
